Plans are well under way for Beverage Dynamics’ annual conference, BD Live!, scheduled for February 13-14 at the Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown. This anticipated event brings the nation’s most forward-thinking off-premise retailers of beer, wine and spirits together to discuss industry issues, trends, opportunities and challenges.

Join us for BD Live! and take advantage of the opportunity to:

Learn. Beverage Dynamics and BD Live! are two of the off-premise beverage industry’s most trusted sources of information. Covering everything from trends to technology, marketing to management, and corporate culture to operations, BD Live! equips you with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions about your business. What is inspiring consumers to spend again? Is social media delivering on its promises? What new tools are on the horizon to help your business excel? What’s the latest on hiring and training practices?

Cognac Ferrand recently released Plantation 3 Stars, its first white rum and part of the Plantation Rum portfolio. Named for the three Caribbean nations in which the rum is crafted (Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica), the new rum is made from aged and un-aged rums and is 41.2% ABV. Three Stars is available for a suggested retail price of $24.99 for a 1-liter bottle.

FrÃ¯s Vodka is relaunching its brand and with a new range of flavors and a new bottle design. The distinctive bottle features a chiseled ice-grey exterior. FrÃ¯s is also debuting two flavors: FrÃ¯s Citrus Freeze and FrÃ¯s Orange Freeze. The brand has announced that another flavor, FrÃ¯s Whipped Freeze, will be introduced in 2013. The new flavors have a suggested retail price of $10.99 for a 750-ml. and $19.99 for a 1.75-liter bottle.

Newcastle Brown Ale announced the nationwide release of its limited edition beer, Newcastle Werewolf. Werewolf features sweet berry fruit in the front and a bite of bitterness at the finish, the company says. Brewed with rye malts, Werewolf is naturally blood-red in color. It is 4.5% ABV and is available nationally through October in six- and 12-packs.

According to the recently released Beverage Information Group’s 2012 Beer Handbook, the overall beer industry lost 35.6 million 2.25 gallon cases – a 1.3% decline – to end the year at 2.787 billion cases.

The beermaker is releasing 12-packs of three new flavors in late October, featuring beers developed by its brewers in St. Louis, Los Angeles and Williamsburg, VA. Each of the company’s 12 breweries competed in a contest to have their flavors (named after each brewery’s zip code) featured in the new case, and the three winners were chosen by consumer tastings throughout the summer.